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The Word: Antarctic stare

21 November 2007

Image: spadefish, stock.xchng

YOU are sitting in a business meeting when you notice a colleague staring off into the distance with a vacant expression on her face. This may not be a case of plain old boredom – this could be the Antarctic stare.

Often described as the 12-foot stare in a 10-foot room, it is not surprisingly often exhibited by those living in the Antarctic. A spontaneous fugue-like state, the stare can last up to an hour and those who have experienced it describe it as feeling as if their mind has gone totally blank.